Snake in the Grass
by ncfan
Summary: I don't think he knows the weapon he's putting into my hands. But that serves my interests perfectly. Spoilers for 414.


**Characters**: Gin, Aizen**  
Pairings**: None**  
Warnings/Spoilers**: Spoilers for the Deicide arc; spoilers for 414.**  
Timeline**: Pre-manga; the brief flashback mentioned on page 15 of chapter 414.**  
Author's Note**: Okay, Kubo Tite has actually thrown us a decent curve ball for once. I intend to capitalize on it. Now, granted, Aizen says that he was expecting Gin to try to kill him eventually, but I think, "Probably not at this point".**  
Disclaimer**: I don't own Bleach.

* * *

"Listen very carefully, Gin." I was still small enough that I had to crane my head up high to make eye contact with Aizen-taicho. I had the sense that my captain was about to say something very interesting, something that would be important later.

We were alone, the door to Aizen-taicho's office pulled gently shut to block out prying eyes and pricked ears. The light was glinting off of his glasses, but I could still see his eyes. The cool, calm brown had, as ever, a strange film over it, something that served, like tempered glass, to keep others out at all costs. Something that let light in, but wouldn't let it back out.

"I am about to tell you something important."

He had let me into his confidence years ago, but I still had to wheedle and strain for the faintest concession, still had to fight to gain confidences and secrets, and at times I wondered why I even bothered.

The flawless mask of Aizen-taicho's face never broke, remaining unbroken in such a stark contrast to the shatter of his sword that I had to blink. "For future reference, it will be very important that you are capable of resisting the abilities of my shikai when in the heat of battle, Gin."

My attention peaked at this. Was he about to tell me the most coveted secret of all, the one flaw in Aizen-taicho's otherwise perfect shikai? He had mentioned it briefly many years ago, but I had never been to get him to tell me, and Aizen-taicho saw clean through what I tried to portray as simple childlike curiosity with ease.

I opened my eyes slightly more so than usual, letting the light in on pale blue irises as he spoke. "The way to overcome the powers of Kyouka Suigetsu's shikai is to be touching the blade itself before complete hypnosis is activated. Do you understand, Gin?" Aizen-taicho's voice was unusually stern at that point, and I knew then that for all of his knowledge of me, he saw me as a child who posed no threat to him; that opinion was only reinforced by the way my kimono hung off my shoulders and my hands did not even slightly protrude from my sleeves.

Good. If he saw me as no threat, then that served my purpose perfectly.

I put on my most winning smile. Thanks to Rangiku's input, I was well aware that my "most winning smile" was anything but winning, but the important thing was to try to seem more like a child to my captain, so as to lower his guard. "Of course, Aizen-taicho."

Aizen-taicho claimed to know everything about me. He knew that I looked at every powerful member of the Gotei Thirteen as a potential target. He knew how I had killed the third seat of the Fifth division so many years ago and why, knew that it was not so cut and dry as anyone else stumbling upon the scene would have believed.

But Aizen-taicho seems to be under one crippling misconception. He seems to think that my loyalty to him is absolute. Aizen-taicho seems to be laboring under the delusion that I do not look at him as prey, as if I have hypnotized him myself.

But he is prey. He is the greatest prize of all, and he is the only one whom I think killing would provide any satisfaction to myself, or any sort of challenge.

And now, he has so conveniently provided me with the weapon necessary to defeat him. I alone among the Gotei Thirteen possess the capability to kill Aizen Sousuke-taicho, I who possess still a child's body but am in mind very, very old.

Now, Aizen-taicho should be more careful where he puts down his feet. He should watch his step, keep one eye behind him at all times. Not that he will; he is incredibly over-confident of his own abilities, and not without reason. Aizen-taicho is strong and under most circumstances circumspect, but even he is prone to arrogance that cripples him.

We will leave this place eventually as Aizen-taicho climbs the path to power. I will regret it, if only because I will be leaving Rangiku behind (she can not know of this, can never know of this), but it will be worth it, I am quite certain.

Aizen-taicho really _should_ be more careful now.

Because the little snake slithering behind him has its fangs dipped in venom.

And it's waiting for the right moment to strike at his heel.


End file.
